The Tigers have been like an old rock and roll song early this season.

They have necessarily gotten what they want, but they’ve received what they need.

Their 7-5 victory over the Cleveland Indians Thursday at Comerica Park was a microcosm of the beginning portion of their 2014 season.

The Tigers made two costly errors, by starting pitcher Justin Verlander and rookie third baseman Nick Castellanos, which led to three unearned by the Indians.

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Left-handers Ian Krol and Phil Coke were not effective working out of the bullpen. Early in the game, the Tigers’ right-handed heavy lineup (seven righty hitters) seemed overmatched by hard-throwing Indians’ starting pitcher Danny Salazar, a righty.

Conversely, Verlander, a right-hander, labored against Cleveland’s most left-handed hitting batting order (eight of nine hitters swinging from the left side).

Yet, against conventional wisdom, the Tigers won the game anyway.

Why?

It has to do with premier players being, well, premier players.

Second baseman Ian Kinsler hit a clutch 3-run homer. Victor Martinez had a big hit to keep a rally going after the Tigers fell behind. Miguel Cabrera swung the bat much better than he had been lately. Austin Jackson produced a couple RBI.

Combined, those four players are being paid $56 million by the Tigers this year.

Kinsler came to the Tigers with a chip on his shoulder. His Sabermetric number WAR (wins above replacement) in 2013 with the Texas Rangers was a surprisingly good 5.2, making him one of the American League’s better players, according to baseball’s version of new math.

But his percentage of successful stolen base attempts declined. He hit 31 and 32 home runs in single seasons not long ago, but just 13 last season. There was some talk, despite “metrics” suggesting otherwise, he was losing some of his range in the field.

Despite a long-term deal that pays him $16 million this season, Kinsler has played like he is determined to prove any detractors wrong. He popped his second home run of the season over the left field wall Thursday. It was a huge hit. The game and the series against a division rival were not going well for the Tigers at the time. He added another RBI.

Kinsler was the great elixir for the Tigers Thursday.

He is a big-money player, who performs as if he is playing for his next meal.

“The thing that his teammates, and certainly the coaching staff, likes about him is his grittiness,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said of Kinsler. “Yes, he has the ability to hit a home run. Yes, he can steal a base and play second base. But, man, he sticks his nose in the dirt. He is just a baseball rat. It’s like you took him off the sandlot and threw him into a big league game.”

Ausmus came under fire for an ill-advised decision to have Torii Hunter bunt in Wednesday’s 3-2 loss to the Indians.

He’s made a few curious decisions, but if Ausmus or his is panicking, there are no outward signs.

Nor should there be. The Tigers are 7-5 and in first place in the American League Central.

Ausmus understands the intense nature of Tigers’ fans.

“Part of being a fan is dangling with every pitch and not knowing what is happening next,” Ausmus said. “You’re going to be upset when your player doesn’t get a hit or the manager made a decision that doesn’t work.

“We can’t pick up a pack of seeds and fire them across the dugout every time something goes wrong.”